Blinking in the Starlight
by ourheroregina
Summary: Written for Inspired by OQ 2019, fourth entry. Inspired by the stunning art made by ankareeda. Tangled OQ AU.


Written for Inspired by OQ 2019, fourth entry. This story is inspired by the stunning art made by ankareeda. You can find it here:

/works/18188873

Blinking in the Starlight - Tangled OQ AU

If somebody would have told Robin when he's met Regina for the first time that he would find himself in a boat, in the middle of the lake with her in front of him smiling and eyes shining from happiness, he would have never believed it.

The day they've met Robin's been running away from the guards after stealing from the castle. The guards had almost caught him, but all of a sudden he noticed a tower in a distance and decided to hide there, not even considering the idea of someone living in there.

But someone did live there.

It was Regina.

It was both, the best and the worst day in Robin's life.

When he saw her for the first time, he couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. Even in the middle of running away for his life he noticed her brown chocolate eyes and dark long, long hair, so long that for a moment Robin wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or not.

The young woman, who looked innocent at first, soon had a knife in her hands and that beautiful creature threatened to slice his throat open if he doesn't explain what the hell he's doing in her tower.

While Robin explained his situation, she took all of the goods that he's stolen from the castle, holding the knife so close to his neck that only an inch was separating the blade and Robin's skin.

His story seemed to make her calm down a bit, however, she didn't return his bag to him. She asked for a bargain instead – if she is kind enough and doesn't throw him out of her tower right at that moment, he has to take her for a walk around the forest.

That was when Robin found out that she's never actually been outside of that tower, or at least she hasn't been outside of it for as long as she can remember. She revealed that her own mother locked her in there to keep her away from the dangers of this world. She was supposed to become a Queen one day, become a wife of some stupid obnoxious King and she needed to be protected from outside world.

Regina's been content with her life in the tower until her mother showed up in the tower a few days ago, announcing that soon Regina's marriage to the King will be arranged. It would still take a few months to announce it to the whole kingdom, but it was already in the plans.

So Regina's asked him to show her the world. For the last days while she was still a free woman – not so free if she was locked up in a tower her whole life, Robin pointed out cockily – she wanted to know what living outside actually felt like.

Robin agreed without a single doubt. Her request was easy enough to fulfill, and also, he didn't really have a choice – after all, he really needed to escape those guards.

So, the deal was arranged. After the guards disappeared, they escaped the tower together and for a few days they were hiding in the shadows of the forest but still going around town, sitting in taverns and drinking, something that turned out to be rather fun since Regina has not had a drink in her whole life.

He learned some things about her, some things that he wasn't able to forget once he returned her to the tower and he went his own way. She was always in the back of his head, not letting him sleep at night because every time he closed his eyes all he could see was her beautiful face.

That's why he visited her in the tower tonight, after more than two months of seeing her for the first time. He's asked if she would like to see the lights that the King Henry lights up every year for the daughter who's been missing since she was a little girl, and Regina agreed to go with him immediately.

That's how he finds himself sitting in a boat with her in front of him, her long hair braided into a huge braid by children of the kingdom. She's not facing him right now, instead she's looking at the sky, her mouth parted in awe as she watches how the sky lights up from the sky lanterns.

And Robin cannot take his eyes of her.

She's stunning.

In every way.

There isn't a woman as beautiful as her in this whole world.

Tearing his eyes away from her, Robin clears his throat and says, "I've got something for you."

Regina turns towards him almost immediately, and her mouth opens in surprise when she sees him holding two sky lanterns while a huge, but in a way sheepish smile stretches across his face.

"Robin," she says, clearly touched by the gesture, and when he hands her the lantern and their hands touch for a brief moment, Robin thinks his heart is going to jump out of his chest.

She's perfect.

"Happy birthday, Regina," he says quietly, and she smiles warmly at him, her eyes full of unshed tears.

"It's the sweetest thing someone's ever done to me," she admits, taking the lantern from him.

For a few moments they stare at each other, until finally she blinks her eyes and rolls her head back to watch the sky.

They both let go of their lanterns at the same time, and while Regina watches hers fly up into the now bright sky, Robin watches _her_, trying to imprint the image of her into his memory so she stays with him for the rest of his life.


End file.
